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In
a recent Stormont debate, a discussion took place
in relation to the firefighters' demand for a wage
of £30,000. It was interesting to note that
David Ervine was the keenest supporter for their demand,
calling on the Assembly to support it, with both the
UUP and the DUP calling for a renewed pay formula
and Sinn Fein's Bairbre de Brun warning of the severe
repercussions in annual public expenditure if they
were given the pay increase they demand. Despite this,
a recent poll has shown seventy one percent support
for the full pay demand by the public for the firefighters.
At
today's FBU conference a strike ballot will be called
with possible actions in support of their demand.
With the employers talking of four percent, in comparison
to the forty per cent demanded, strike action looks
increasingly likely. The recent demonstration in Belfast
of over two thousand firefighters and control room
staff and the magnificent support they got is a reflection
of a wider public support for that pay increase. Similarly
the recent ten thousand plus strong demonstration
in London again showed the commitment the firefighters
have to receiving a living wage for the job they do.
At
that demonstration, leading members of other unions
were in attendance to lend solidarity: Bob Crow, RMT;
Mick Rix, ASLEF; Jeremy Dear, NUJ and Billy Hayes
CWU amongst others, alongside local leading Trade
Unionists of differing unions at the Belfast demonstration.
Both Billy Hayes and Mick Rix told how the firefighters
would be 'absolutely guaranteed' wider trade union
support, with others also voicing similar sentiments.
As
the firefighters prepare to give a lead in the pay
fight, the government is preparing itself against
the first national firefighters strike in twenty five
years. With over two thousand troops already trained,
the Ministry of Defence is now to train a further
six hundred and fifty others to scab also. So the
battle lines have been drawn. Apart from the practical
preparation to attempt to hamper strike action, increasingly
we will see, as seen through arguments being put by
some of our local politicians, with echo's also in
London, calls for the tightening of purse strings
due to possible economic detriment to wider society.
While
the last twenty five years has see large tax breaks
for the rich, the handing of hundreds of millions
of pounds of public money to private firms to make
a profit, the public money lost in ridiculous schemes
and low paid, non-unionized, temporary jobs amongst
many other similar issues, many of our politicians
have remained strangely quiet in recent times on these
on going issues. Mainly because many of them are either
embracing, endorsing and implementing these issues
or indeed all three. On the other hand when the firefighters,
who lay their lives on the line to save others, ask
for a living wage those same politicians come out
with such lines as 'we all know and appreciate what
a fine job you are all doing but we have got to watch
the purse strings'.
So
no contradiction with many of our politicans, for
selfish interest, with open embracement to hand millions
over to private firms, to give tax breaks to the rich
and their corporations, in order to provide workers
with those conditions and miserable wages while in
tandem attempting to put arguments about how wider
society would be affected if a living wage was provided
to a workforce. I have also increasingly found arguments
being articulated in favour of issues such as PFI
and PPP, within aspects of the media. 'Two whole pages'
were given to a US neo-liberalist advocate recently
in a locally based newspaper to inform us that opposition
to such privatisation was just ideologically based
and not grounded in facts. The article suggested that
those of us opposed to such may be just 'naive, -
those naive working class at it again', where answers
as always should be handed down to them from the almighty
thinkers above, 'stuff straight from the archives
of the Daily Telegraph as one leading trade union
activist put it too me'.
While
this type of understanding would not be reflective
of most trade unionist views 'based on the facts'
and which caused great surprise to many of that papers
readership, it is though unfortunately reflective
of all the leading politicians and parties who implement
it, from Sinn Fein to the DUP.
Privatisation
and low pay are important issues that are increasingly
being taken up and discussed by the trade union movement
as the recent TUC conference has shown. That is why
the possible action by the firefighters is important
to support. It is ironic that the government will
attempt to dig their heels in to prevent those who
save lives getting a living wage, while on the other
hand being a leading force in providing funds for
those who wish to take life in the coming 'war' of
Iraq.
As
a possible strike within the fire service looms it
is unfortunate that the government has taken this
position, as no doubt it will not only effect the
fire service but other trade unions in the public
service and elsewhere. Which may mean that they will
have to advise their staff that if health and safety
is compromised then unfortunately it wouldn't be in
their interest to continue the job until the situation
is rectified. Working people only strike as a last
resort, with the last national firefighters strike
twenty five years ago. Their cause of battling for
a living wage is a worthy one reflective of many workforces
and for that reason their cause should be our cause
and every worker should support and show solidarity
to the firefighters in their fight for a living wage
.
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